G-Force Adventure Park: God’s Love in Action

St. Matthew’s Vacation Bible School 2015 was held July 13-17. Children who attended an Age 3 through Grade 5 class during the 2014-15 school year discovered the reality of God’s movement in their lives. Each day at the G-Force Adventure Park, Coach and Checkers, the cheetah puppet, and the video team of Professor Volt and her assistant Clipboard, introduced the theme of the day, the Action Word, and Velocity Verse. After the opening assembly in the Sanctuary the children, who were called navigators, went to Fellowship Fall for theme-based snacks served at the tables with table cloths in their class color. Then the two-year-old class and their parent/guardian went to their room for a Bible story and craft before going home early at 7:25. After snacks, the preschool classes went to their home room for their Bible story, reinforcing crafts and science before going to music and the closing assembly, while the elementary children rotated the through the Scripture Zone to see the Bible story given by actors; the Crafts & Discovery Zone where they made an airplane, a butterfly message, and a 3D cross, and saw science experiments (Insta-snow and color-changing milk, where they learned about polymers; and the Music Zone where they learned the VBS songs. Velocity Verse sign language was taught the Bible and Music Zones. After these experiences the teachers led a time of reflections to review with the students everything they had learned and related the Bible story to the children’s daily lives. At the closing assembly Coach poured plastic balls in the G-Force Meter to mark the velocity of the Action Word. The daily Faith Fuel, Action Word, Velocity Verse, and activities helped the navigators experience and live out God’s love in their lives. Day One: The Faith Fuel story was God Calls Moses (Exodus 3:7-12) to Move! (the Action Word) to accomplish the Velocity Verse, “And what does the Lord Require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8b, NRSV) Day Two: The Faith Fuel story was Solomon Builds the Temple (I Chronicles 28:20-21 & 2 Chronicles 5:1, 13) to Act! “I’ll show you my faith by putting it into practice in faithful action.” (James 2:18b, CEB) Day Three: The Faith Fuel story was Four Friends Help (Mark 2:1-12) to Care! “Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, CEB) Day Four: The Faith Fuel story was Jesus’ Healing of Bartimaeus (Mark 10: 46-52) Jesus’ invitation to Follow! “Come, follow me.” (Matthew 4:19a, CEB) Day Five: The Faith Fuel story was Women Find the Empty Tomb (Luke 24:1-12) to Share! “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19a, CEB) On Friday we had a slightly different schedule so that the children could share their VBS experience with their families in a closing celebration. Our sharing project was collecting money for a donation to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Tiffany Wright (City of Bowie Watershed Manager) showed us where Bowie is on the watershed map for the Chesapeake Bay and called us to action! After the program she gave a cool watershed demonstration in Fellowship Hall and gave the children seeds to grow native plants. Thanks to an anonymous challenge to match the first $100, a total of $305.80 given was given to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the only independent 501(c)(3) charity dedicated solely to restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers. Their goal is to improve water quality by reducing pollution. Their motto is “Save the Bay.” Because the Bay, its tributary rivers, and associated parks are adventure parks in our area, this project was chosen to teach children to care for each other and God’s creation and how to make a difference. As a part of our sharing project we held an optional community service project on Saturday, July 18, from 3:30-6 p.m. Thirteen children, youth, and adults put “No Dumping – Drains to Waterways” 2 markers on street drains in the Tulip Grove section of Bowie. They also picked up the trash that had collected on the drains. Students received community service hours from the City of Bowie. On Sunday July 19 the children shared the VBS songs and story in the 11 a.m. Worship Service. The 53 registered children were divided into classes named for kid-friendly transportation: Scooters, Tricyclers, Jumpers, Skippers, Skaters, Skateboarders, and BMXers. A total of 56 adults and teens led the activities, made the decorations, and helped with preparation, check-in, and security. The children were from 31 families, 13 from St. Matthew’s, 15 from a different home congregation, and 3 with no listed home congregation. Nine families are or have been EEC students. Families who did not list a home congregation are being invited to come to St. Matthew’s. Thank you to all who came and made our VBS G-Force Adventure Park an exciting educational out-reach ministry of putting God’s love in action! Rev. Kathy Wadsley